This invention generally relates to powered implements, and more specifically concerns an improved impeller for a snow thrower and an improved snow thrower incorporating the impeller for use in removal of snow from sidewalks, driveways and other areas in which snow clearance during the winter season is necessary.
Snow removal by means other than a simple manually powered snow shovel has been a problem which has been addressed for many years. Since snow removal is normally carried out at freezing or sub-freezing temperatures, and in conditions in which the user of snow removal equipment must deal with slipperiness of ground surface, and varying snow densities, the production of a simple, light-weight and effective snow thrower which will operate under these conditions and make the task of snow removal more manageable is a difficult one.
Practically speaking, since the slipperiness of the ground surface and difficulty of moving the snow thrower into the snow tend to make a snow thrower unwieldy and difficult to handle, there is considerable emphasis on and demand for a unit which is highly efficient in its use of power. This follows from the fact that the weight of the unit is directly related to the size of the power plant necessary to power it. This need is particularly strong in the smallest snow throwing units which are typically designed for metropolitan residential use, since the user desires a compact, lightweight implement which may be used in a way similar to the conventional manually operated snow shovel, but without the backwrenching effort of continually lifting the snow from the surface to be cleared and propelling it to an adjoining area.
The present invention is an improvement in snow thrower impellers and an improved snow thrower incorporating the newly developed impeller which appears to be more efficient, to operate more effectively in gust wind conditions, to require less power and, primarily because of these characteristics, to allow the construction of lighter weight and more maneuverable snow throwers, and also improving the performance of existing snow throwers into which the newly developed impeller is incorporated.